Tumor recurrence continues to emerge as a major challenge in modern oncology, contributing to poor prognosis, therapy resistance, and poorer recovery. Epigenetic modification, specifically DNA hypermethylation in the promoter regions of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs), is a key driver of tumor recurrence and plasticity through mechanisms including immune evasion, maintenance of the cancer stem cell niche, activation of oncogenic signaling, and cell survival. Recent breakthroughs have revealed that transcriptional inactivation of TSGs enables cancer cells to evade immune surveillance and resist conventional therapies, ultimately leading to resistance development and tumor relapse across solid and hematologic cancers. Because epigenetic modifications are dynamic and reversible, they present a promising therapeutic frontier for overcoming poor patient prognosis and tumor recurrence. Nevertheless, despite these encouraging advances, research into the intricate role of epigenetic gene silencing through DNA methylation in tumor recurrence remains a significant hurdle.
This Research Topic aims to invite clinical, translational, and mechanistic cutting-edge research that will advance our understanding of how DNA methylation silences TSGs and rewires epigenetic reprogramming to drive tumor recurrence, and that will support the development of novel therapeutic interventions to counteract recurrence, overcome therapy resistance, and improve patient prognosis.
To address these gaps, we invite contributions—including Original Research, Reviews, and Methods—that explore how DNA methylation drives tumor recurrence and therapy resistance. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
● Molecular mechanism of how DNA methylation (DNMTs) induces transcriptional silencing of TSGs during tumor recurrence. ● Crosstalk between DNA methylation and other epigenetic events in the occurrence of recurrence and therapy resistance. ● Methylation-based biomarker to predict tumor recurrence and prognosis of patients. ● Discovery of methylated biomarkers for early relapse detection. ● Epigenetic reprogramming (DNA methylation) mediates therapy resistance. ● High-throughput sequencing (transcriptome and methylome) aids in the identification of biomarkers detailing recurrence and resistance. ● Preclinical and clinical research addressing recurrence and therapy resistance. ● Next-generation epigenetic therapies raised against recurrence and resistance. ● Combination therapies to prevent tumor relapse.
Please note: Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics, computational analysis, or predictions of public databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent clinical or patient cohort, or biological validation in vitro or in vivo, which are not based on public databases) are not suitable for publication in this journal.
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Article types
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